1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to data networks and in particular to virtual local area networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Data networks allow many different computing devices, for example, personal computers, IP telephony devices or servers to communicate with each other and/or with various other network elements or remote servers attached to the network. For example, data networks may comprise, without limitation, Metro Ethernet or Enterprise Ethernet networks that support multiple applications including, for example, voice-over-IP (VoIP), data and video applications. Such networks regularly include many interconnected nodes, commonly known as switches or routers, for routing traffic through the network.
The various nodes are often distinguished based on their location within particular areas of the network, commonly characterizing two or three “tiers” or “layers,” depending on the size of the network. Conventionally, a three tier network consists of an edge layer, an aggregation layer and a core layer (whereas a two tier network consists of only an edge layer and core layer). The edge layer of data networks includes edge (also called access) networks that typically provide connectivity from an Enterprise network or home network, such as a local area network, to a metro or core network. The edge/access layer is the entry point of the network, i.e., to which the customer network is nominally attached, and the switches residing at the edge layer are known as edge switches. Different types of edge networks include digital subscriber line, hybrid fiber coax (HFC), fiber to the home, and enterprise networks, such as campus and data center networks. Edge switches may perform, for example, L2 switching functions for the attached devices. The edge switches are generally connected to one or more Enterprise switches, Enterprise servers and/or other end devices in the customer network, and may also be connected to an aggregate layer that terminates access links coming from multiple edge switches. Switches residing at the aggregation layer are known as Aggregation Switches. Aggregation Switches may perform, for example, L2 switching and L3 routing of traffic received via the aggregate links from the edge switches. The aggregate layer (in a “three tiered” network) or the edge layer (in a “two tiered” network) is connected to a metro or core network layer that performs Layer 3/IP routing of traffic received from the Aggregation Switches or from edge switches. As will be appreciated, switches at each incremental layer of the network typically have larger capacity and faster throughput.
Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) technology has allowed Enterprise networks to extend their reach across the core network to enable a LAN to be partitioned based on functional requirements, while maintaining connectivity across all devices on the LAN. However, in order for VLAN's to forward data to the correct destination, all switches (edge and core) in the VLAN should contain the same information in their filtering databases. The IEEE 802.1ak Multiple VLAN Registration Protocol (MVRP) supports dynamic registration of VLAN's on all ports in a VLAN bridged network. In particular, MVRP allows VLAN membership information to be propagated to all ports that are a part of the active topology of the VLAN.
For example, when a VLAN is created on one of the edge switches, MVRP enables the VLAN to be propagated to all of the other edge/core switches in the Ethernet network, which creates a VPA (VLAN Port Association) on the ingress path to each edge/switch. Since VPA's are created only on the ingress of a particular edge switch, in order to provide a bi-directional path for data transfer to/from one or more customer devices in that VLAN that are coupled to that particular edge switch, an administrator can manually configure the edge switch by converting the MVRP-VLAN on the edge switch to a standard (static) VLAN. Once converted, the VLAN is propagated back in the reverse direction, creating VPA's on the reverse path and resulting in a complete VLAN path.
MVRP works well for traditional physical customer devices that are tied to a specific port or switch. However, many Enterprise networks have begun utilizing “Virtual Machines (VMs)” to emulate physical network devices for various purposes, such as testing/debugging, system backup, virtual desktops, on-demand applications and process mobility. Since Virtual Machines are mobile and can potentially move to different edge switches, administrator intervention would be required on each edge switch where the Virtual Machine moves to manually convert the MVRP-VLAN's on those switches to static VLAN's. Manually configuring switches in the Ethernet network based on current locations of VM's requires extensive labor and time, thus increasing the cost of managing VLAN's.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for creating a VLAN bridging path for Virtual Machines (VMs) within an MVRP environment without the need for administrator intervention.